Chapter 67: Hao ChengYong part 1

He was born in an old village that has centuries of history in the Qun kingdom. My village was named MeiHua, after the MeiHua flower that grows in the mountains behind the village. My sister took me there before, it was blooming beautifully even when it snows.

*MeiHua(梅花) Chinese plum blossom flower.

His family always goes there, like all the villagers when the tree blooms.

His grand-grandfather was a great scholar, he moved to this village because he loved the MeiHua. His father was a farmer and his mother was just a normal housewife. I had a pretty older sister that sew clothes to sell.

We aren't too poor but they aren't wealthy either. My father asked a scholar to name me, it was Hao ChengYong.

He wanted me to be brave. Like the meaning of my name, Be brave and show that you are a brave person.

But I can't be as brave as he wished. I'm scared of my mother and scare of strangers. I am also afraid of that chicken...or I should call it a rooster running after me when I was picking eggs in the morning.

I was already 11 years old, he could help with his father's farm.

But then. Our village was soon stuck with hungry. The landlord had increased his taxes to 80%. Most of the villagers are farmers but the land they own isn't much. It was already hard for some villagers when the taxes were at 60%.

But at 80%? It wasn't even enough for a family of three. How is it enough for a family of more? Most villagers here had been here for centuries. So most if not all of the villagers have more than three people. Grandpa's, grandma's, uncle, and aunts. Most of them as grandkids.

Why did the landlord increase the tax? The weather is getting hotter and soon will be the dà shǔ.

*dà shǔ(大暑)[Major Heat] it's Jul 22rd.

And when the river has the least water.

After a day of working in the field, my father and I walk home at night.

I stood by my father as we walk back home. I take a peek at my neighbor's house. And saw... a skinny figure. A skinny woman that has her skin bruised and her clothes were messy. At that time I didn't understand why she was injured.

She was my neighbor's darling daughter, why would they ever injure her? Maybe someone beat her for some reason. But it was their business, they didn't ask for help, so I shouldn't bother with it.

But shortly I understood why...

One day someone came near to our house. Many men who looked like soldiers he saw when he saw the landlord coming here before. I then suddenly had the feeling something bad is going to happen.

I quickly took my sister. Who is already 12, a marriageable age away from home? His father is still working and my mother went to send him food. I snuck out of the house at the broken back door that we seldomly use.

I ran to the mountains, my heavy breathing was not stopping even when I stop running.

I quickly found the small cave that we found when we came last year to play and hind my sister who was questioning me.

"Why did you take me here?" She asked while breathing heavily.

"shhh. Sis, I got a bad feeling. Please hind here! I'll go get mother and father!"

"Ah- Wait!" She stretches out her arms to grab my clothes but I quickly slip away.

I ran quickly to the field where my parents is supposed to be. But I was shocked into place as I saw my father's..... bleeding neck. His cold blurry eyes and my mother crying.